Northeast Mississippi Community College will become one of the first colleges in the state of Mississippi to offer a discipline in iOS App Development during the fall 2017 term.

As part of the college’s Information Systems Technology program, students will be able to select either a cyber defense, system administration or an iOS App Development emphasis to complement their Associate of Applied Sciences degree from the college.

During their time in the Information Systems Technology program, students will learn the necessary skills necessary to work with not only mobile devices but mobile networks as well.

Northeast will offer specific courses to the iOS App Development concentration that addresses communication, security, networking and a working knowledge and mastery of the Swift programming language.

“The Information System Technology (IST) curriculum was rewritten to be conducive to the IT industry,” said Northeast IST instructor Natasha Lewis. “We need to offer our students the skills that will get them employed, not just give them a brief overview of everything; they need a discipline to concentrate on and that is where the iOS App Development comes into play.”

In addition to being able to compete in one of the fastest-growing industries in information systems technology, students will have a chance to earn industry-standard certifications such as the CompITA certifications that are recognized as one of the best ways to break into the Information Systems Technology field and build a career. CompTIA A+, Network+ and Security+ certifications are all built into the curriculum for the Information Systems Technology applied sciences degree at Northeast.

Lewis and the participants in the program will be using Swift, which is one of the world’s most popular programming languages during their time in the iOS App Development emphasis.

Students will learn to code and design fully functioning applications by gaining critical skills that are important to future employers.

“Coding is important because we are in the technology age, where everyone is attached to a smart device.,” Lewis said. “Therefore, coding is a necessity; it is just as important as speaking English.”

Apple, Incorporated announced a partnership with six community college organizations during the summer of 2017 where it will help community colleges teach the necessary skills needed to be proficient in iOS App Development.

Apple’s curriculum is offered by Alabama Community College System, Columbus State Community College, Harrisburg Area Community College, Houston Community College, Mesa Community College and San Mateo Community College District.

“We’ve seen firsthand the impact that coding has on individuals and the US economy as a whole. The app economy and software development are among the fastest-growing job sectors in America and we’re thrilled to be providing educators and students with the tools to learn coding,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook. “Community colleges play a critical role in helping students achieve their dreams, and we hope these courses will open doors for people of all ages and backgrounds to pursue what they love.”